Drafting shirts



FFICE.

JNO. PECKHAM, OF NEW' HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

DRAFTING SHIRTS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 22,375, dated December 21, 1858.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN PEGKHAM, of the city and county of N ew Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvement in Manufacturing Shirts; and I do hereby declare that'the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a front view of a shirt drafted according to my invention. Fig. 2, is a view showing' the way in which the back of the shirt is drafted. Fig. 3, is a view showing the way in which the front of the shirt is drafted. Fig'. 4, are views of the two measures employed in drafting according to my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The object of this invention is to obtain a definite rule or system of measurement for drafting shirts, by which a persons measure may be taken and laid or drawn out upon the muslin or other cloth with perfect accuracy, and in such a manner as not only to insure a perfect fit, but also to have the parts so disposed as to economize in the bosom material, which is generally linen, and to render the shirt more durable and capable of being properly ironed with greater facility than usual.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and practice my invention I will proceed to describe it.

In order to draft a shirt according to my invention two measures are made as follows: One the neck measure designated by A, Fig. 4, is made by cutting a strip of paper the length of the circumference of the neck of theperson for whom the shirt is to be made and dividing it by folding into four equal parts as designated by the red marks a. Three quarters of the neck measure include between the figures 7, and the longer end is subdivided into four equal parts as indicated by the red marks b. The portion of the neck measure included between 4 and the nearest end and being one quarter of the portion included between 7 and the farther end is di vided into four unequal parts by subdividing each division as made, for instance the first fold of the last measurement will give the division 3, the -second fold will give 2, and the third fold will give l. By the first measurement two divisions are marked 7 and 5 and by the second measurement two divisions 6, and 4, are marked, the unlettered divisions are not required. The ordinary neck measure is about 14.13 inches,-at least that is a medium size. In the drawing it is shown as being 14 inches. The other measure B, is formed by cutting a strip of paper equal in length to the circumference of the body of the intended wearer, just below the arms. This is termed the breast measure and an average size is from 36 to 40 inches. This measure is rst divided into four equal parts, one only of which is shown in the drawing, it being the only necessary one to show as the other three parts are not subdivided. The quarter of the breast measure shown is subdivided into three equal parts giving the points 3 and 6. The portions 3 and 6 are divided into four unequal parts, each division being halved giving the points 4, l2, and 24. The portion between point 4 and the end of the graduated part of the measure is divided into four unequal parts each division being halved so as to form the points 8, 16, 32. The measures being thus formed the muslin or cloth shown by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3, is folded and the shirt is drafted from the fold designated by ax. The selvage of the muslin or cloth being designated by bx. Fig. 2, shows the back. The neck measure A, is first used and 5 2 is marked o at right angles from the fold ax, and also from the top edge of the cloth forming a square as designated by the red lines l, 2, and a curve 3, is swept within said square from the angle of thee cloth as shown at c. The red line l, is prolonged to a point (Z, which makes said line equivalent to iof the length of the breast measure, that is to say, the whole length of the graduated portion shown in Fig. 4, and to the line l, a length of of said graduated part is added as shown at 4, making its whole length Erl-g; of the length of the breast measure. From the line l, and at the fold 01X, one quarter length of the breast measure is marked as shown at f, and from this point a line 5, is drawn at right angles from the fold ax, and a point g, made on it at a distance equal to one quarter of the breast measure. The points a, g, are connected by a line 6,-and the line 5, is prolonged to a point 71 equivalent to 2,- of the breast measure and the line is further prolonged by adding of the graduated portion as shown at 7 The line 5, therefore is equivalent to JA-l--{l of the breast measure. The ends of the lines 1 and 5 are connected by a curved line 8, the proper form of which is insured by a line 9, connecting the points a, L. The outer or upper end of line 2, and the outer end of line l, are connected by a line 9. The lines 3, 9, 8, form the draft for the back of the shirt the portion below the line 5, are of course cut as usual or in any proper way.

The front of the shirt shown in Fig. 3, is cut as follows: The neck measure A, is taken and a line 10, marked off from the fold ax, said line being equal in length to 4-2 of the neck measure, and this line 10, is intersected by a line l1, at right angles with the top edge of the cloth and equal to 5-4 of the neck measure. A curved line 13, is made within thelines 10, 11. The top of the cloth is marked from the fold ax, to a point a', a distance equal to of the breast measure. rlhis line is designated by 16. A point is made on the fold side a, of the cloth said point being from line 10, a distance equal to l-l of the breast measure. From the point y', a line 12, is made at right angles with the fold ax, said line being equal to llof the breast measure, the end of lines 12 and the top line at the point z', being connected by a line 14, which serves as a guide to make the curved line 15. The lines 13, 15, 16, from the draft lines of the front of the shirt, and the back and front portions when cut out are unfolded placed one over the other and the upper part of the back lapped or folded over so that the top portions 9', will be sewed or connected to the top portions 16, of the neck. By this means the seam C, will be brought down to a horizontal line at the lower part of the neck-as shown clearly in Fig. 1.

By this invention a correct draft is obtained by measurement, and a garment thus cut will fit the wearer perfectly. No yokes are required, the neck circle or portion being cut chieiiy out of the upper part of the back, and hence the fullness and gathering in which is necessary in order to construct shirts with yokes are avoided. The bosom shown in red Fig. l, will remain smooth and even, fitting snugly over the chest and as the bosom need not extend higher than the seam C, considerable linen will be saved, as in the old plan the bosom extends as high as the seam D, shown in blue, said seam extending from the top of the shoulders to the centers of the neck. By my improvement also the shirt is rendered more durable, the seam C, not being subject to the same strain as D. The upper part of the shirt also being free from gathers, may beironed With'the greatest facility.

I am aware that measures for drafting garments have been made by folding tapes or paper strips in such manner as to form a graduated scale and I therefore do not claim the measures in themselves considered, but having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

Drafting shirts by means of the neck and breast measures A, B, formed and applied to the cloth as herein shown and described,

so that the neck circle will be chiefly cut or l formed in the back portion of the shirt and the upper part of the back portion folded over and united to the top of the front portion on a line with the base of the neck, as

set forth.

JOHN PECKHAM. Witnesses:

J oHN UsHER, WVM. R. J oNEs. 

